The Impact of Video Marketing & Where to Start

by Morgan Alverson | Feb 20, 2018

At Syrup, we help grow small companies. We use many different tactics to market for our clients. Within each of these different tactics, we use many different types of visuals, as human beings process & recall graphics up to 60,000x faster than text! However, there’s one thing we wish we had more of to work with, and that’s VIDEO. In our experience, clients that use video are seeing major results in terms of engagement and conversions.

Within our client accounts, we see on average:

• Social media posts that include video have more than double the reach of other posts.
• Most of our clients’ top posts on social (meaning the posts that saw the most engagement) are video posts.
• For one of our clients, ads with movement had a 13.39% conversion rate vs 4.35% for image ads.
• Video ads also had a cost per action of $0.11 vs a cost per action of $0.72 for image ads.

That’s just a few examples of the power of video and why it’s essential to marketing in 2018.

Fact: Video is the most popular type of content on any medium

The Impact of Video

Other than capturing your audience’s attention, video allows you to:

1. Connect with your audience on an emotional level.
2. Build trust with your audience.
3. Engage with your audience.
4. See SEO benefits.

Here are a few more stats just in case you aren’t convinced:

• 53% of people want to see more video content from marketers (Source: Hubspot)
• 200-300% increase in click-through rates after adding a video to marketing emails (Source: Hubspot)
• 80% increase in conversion rates on a landing page when you embed a video (Source: Hubspot)
• 59% of company decision makers would rather watch a video than read an article or blog post (Source: Hubspot)
• 64% of customers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it (Source: Hubspot)
• 90% of customers report that product videos help them make purchasing decisions (Source: Hubspot)
• 95% of a message is retained when seen in a video compared to only 10% retained when seen in a text (Source: Marketing Profs)

By using videos in your marketing strategy, more people will see your content and your brand.

The stats prove this.

But the problem we are often faced with is, where do you even start?

Where to Start

Many clients we talk to are concerned about the complexity, the time, and the price of adding video to their mix. And sometimes that is true. But know that going the professional video route isn’t the only option. There is a right time for professional video, and a right time for more raw, unpolished video. The most important thing to know when it comes to getting started is simple – pick one and execute.

If you choose to go the raw, unpolished route, you can easily use an iPhone and one of the many available apps, such as iMovie that’s built into your iPhone, that allow you to easily edit that video if needed. Going the professional route is going to be more expensive, but all the work will be done for you. Whichever route you choose, we’re sharing some tips for getting started with solid video content, because there are some types of videos that every company should have.

Where you should be using video:

1. Social Media
2. Website
3. Landing Pages
4. Email
5. Paid Media

You want to use video anywhere you use content to market and engage with your audience. For our clients, this is the “stuff” we take care of, ensuring they all work together for the purpose of growing their company.

Types of Videos

Here are 5 different types of videos that every company should explore:

1. Product Demo or Showcase: Show off your product and its features, giving your audience a quick peek/tease.
2. Brand Story: What’s the story behind your brand? Why does your company exist? Let your audience feel that emotional connection and build greater brand awareness.
3. Highlight Reel: Highlight your team, your product(s), or your company. Tell a story.
4. Testimonials: Have your customers do the talking and share why they love your company. This validation is key as you build trust with your audience.  
5. Bumper Video: A 6-second video to tell a story or quickly highlight your brand or product(s). Remember, your audience does not have a long attention span (about 8 seconds).

Check out this testimonial video example (featuring yours truly):

Other types of video assets you should consider:

• • Live Video: Give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your company, usually done through Facebook or Instagram.
  • Educational How-to: Explain how your product works and would help your audience, or even give an explanation of something that is related to your company.
  • Event Invitation or Promotion: Promote an upcoming event your company is hosting or attending and personally invite your audience through video.
  • Event Wrap Up: Share what happened at the event, letting the excitement come through the video.
  • Your Culture: Show off your team members and what the culture is like with your company.
  • Thought Leadership: Utilize video to share your expertise on a topic in your industry.
  • Tips & Tricks: Share some tips relevant to your audience or tips to utilizing your product(s) better.
  • Product Training: Once someone buys your product, share a video with them that will easily and clearly train them on how to use it.
  • Onboarding: When you get a new client or customer, welcome them through video, give them more information on the company, and educate them on everything they need to know.

See some examples of different style videos:
Explainer

Product

Wistia has a great inspiration section to spark ideas: Wistia Inspiration

If you aren’t using video in your marketing strategy and on your website, you are missing a big opportunity. Video is the one thing we encourage our clients to use the most. We use it on websites, landing pages, emails, social media, and paid ads. We know it works best, and we know it’s going to grab the attention of your audience quickly and effectively.

Do not let your competitors get ahead. Do not get left behind.